What's on your workbench?

[Fazy]

Thought I’d do some modelling, this as been sitting on the table for a few months now and needs to be finished. The bulk of the work is done now odds and ends to finish the most obvious is all the cables to be added the roof is just temporary on at the moment but hopefully you’ll see where it’s going. Its

[atom3624]

Very nice job there Fazy - looks good.

Al.

[LMSFan72]

Been working out how to create Network Rail ex-FGW Motorail GUV conversion. Gave up on donors and decided to completely design and print. Waiting for the yellow to dry so I can do the roof and decals

[Fazy]

Thank you atom3624, here’s the Crain update still some bits to do transfer builders plate etc. Two buffers which I managed to damage during the building and a crew plus other things. But the cables are all fitted and it doesn’t look two bad.

[81F]

I have just started work on a kit for a Soviet armored railcar, "Krasnaja Zvezda". The model is fairly simple static model in plastic at 1/72 scale. However, it is just crying out to be motorized.

To this end I have bought a Tenshodo spud motor bogie (which will be totally hidden behind the armored plating) to replace one of the plastic bogies which come with the kit. I have also developed an adapter for the spud and a 00 gauge dummy bogie and am awaiting the 3D prints from Shapeways.

The main reason for the new bogies is that those provided with the kit are to a much wider gauge then OO due to the combination of the Russian track gauge being wider than standard and the model being 1/72 rather than 00's 1/76.

The only other modification I can see is to add some plastic channel to the chassis to make it a bit more rigid.

[81F]

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Just assembled my armored railcar. Sadly my 3D printed dummy bogie at the left end sits too high. Also the axels on the set of Hornby disc wheels are too tight in the 2mm holes.

I have therefore modified the virtual model so that it sits lower and opened up the axle holes to 2.5mm. I will also need to fit some stiffeners to the chassis and add weight and convert the spud motor bogie to DCC before it runs on the layout.

[96RAF]

Something new which may not work. . .

Inspired by the binned Select-a-Link adapter cable.

eLink as we know has no user controls and hence has to be used with RM to be able to send commands to the track via the USB comms.

But what about if you could strap on an Xpressnet port to the eLink and hook up a spare walkabout Select to give you additional manual control via RM, like you can when using an Elite as a controller.

Fortunately when I look at the eLink PCB it already has a slot for an Xpressnet port (those 6 offset holes) and supporting RS485 driver chip (U2).

L5 can be a solder bridge and C12 robbed along with R34.

I can rob these components from an expired Elite, so with nothing to lose I may as well give it a go.

I will let you know how it goes.

[96RAF]

The RJ socket has been fitted. It is a two piece thing and may be an industry standard part. I haven’t researched it. Easier to rob one from the dead Elite.

Edit - Molex do one - RJ12 6P6C version required. https://www.molex.com/pdm_docs/sd/955012401_sd.pdf

Chip U2 I initially thought may be Hornby proprietary but once I had read the part number correctly SN75276 I find it is a standard RS485 device. I have soldered it in but not very tidy so it may have to come out again.

I bridged L5 pads and R34 with solder for now, but wonder about C12 an SMD 100n capacitor, which I think in conjunction with L5 is some sort of filter, so may be able to leave that out.

So how goes it. It powered up OK and the eLink still worked with RM so I haven’t killed the basic functionality yet. Next I set up a loco with an address within the Select operating range and lodged this in the RM loco roster. This loco ran from the RM screen proving basic control and a good loco.

Then I plugged in a Walkabout cable to the Select and the new eLink RJ socket. Select showed HS and accepted a handset address. Select then showed CE - comms error. Select was unplugged and replugged and went through the normal 16-30 boot sequence but stalled at the 03 flashing then flagged up CE again.

Back to the drawing board for now.

I also need to crop some support posts from the case and make a new hole for the RJ socket to poke through.

Edit - I just heard that eLink will need a firmware update to enable the data flow to that Expressnet port - I should have thought of that. Fortunately it can be done locally over USB similar to RM eLink updates.

Unfortunately Hornby won’t provide the update and I have no idea how to write it.

[Fazy]

Started my new layout and the first build for it is the Chorley Engine shed. Build so far the card is just a template and will be changed.

[RDS]

Hi Fazy

Nice pictures. Please post more pictures of the shed as your build progresses.

I have deleted the duplicate images you posted and rotated the Loco picture though 180 degrees.

[Rana Temporia]

Fazy, will you be modelling the flying arches on the mainline to Bolton?

[Fazy]

Thank you RDS will do, working one the smoke troughs at the minute and lights so when there fitted I’ll take a couple of photos.

Some one knows the line Rana, well the main layout side is 16’x4 which just take the full station right up to the bridge. The other side will be the layouts fiddle yard. Which leaves the two ends. So it’s a maybe but with it being a curve, I’m not 100% sure yet what will happen.

[Rana Temporia]

Fazy, I am fairly local and do know the line. Also, in one of my previous jobs I worked for a site investigation company that explored the old linoleum works at Heapey which was accessed via a branch from the station. At the time Ainscough’s crane firm had it and there was an 88 DS there (as made by Hornby) but I don’t know if it actually worked on the railway system there. There is some mention of the complex in “The Industrial railways of the Wigan Coalfield” by CHA Townley, FD Smith and JA Peden but they only refer to steam locomotives at the site. Could be an excuse to run some interesting trains to the ‘off stage’ works from the station yard, and don’t forget the Chorley wagon works!

[Fazy]

Oh I knew of the wagon works but now I might have reason to buy some little industrial engines. some lovely models by Hornby and other manufacturers at the moment.

[Buz]

Hi all

What with the lurgy and stuff still being hard to get.

I have gone off on a tangent and am building something a little different.

A spaghetti western house in US "O" scale.

The chimney gives away it is not an Arabian building but is something else.

It is foam core board pollyfilla coffee stirrers a tongue depressor for the wooden door step.

and cut up fly swatter for the window bars a little bit of balsa wood on the shutters.

The roof poles are 4mm dowel.

It shows white through the window because the interior walls of the front room are painted white.

Some very basic interior detailing was done in the front room but it turned into a waste of time as it cannot be seen, I could not find any flickering yellow LED's in a large enough quantity to justify the postage cost.

So it is not illuminated as I would have liked it to be.

It is a bit rough in places and not as out of wack as the picture suggests.

Photo's can be very very cruel.

Smaller OO versions of this would be ideal to go with Triang's Davy Crockett for a western set up.

Now I know what I am doing with a model railway version of a war games building improved versions are on the cards.

It proves the start with something simple comment often heard from more experienced modellers.

You don't get much simpler than a box with some details stuck on

regards John

Moderator Comment: I have added an enlarged version of your picture. RDS

[atom3624]

I was going to say that's just like the houses I used to see most days when working on a mine in the Almeria area, Andalucia (home of several Spaghetti Westerns) in 1990 !!

Al.

[Bulleidboy]

Adding brake rods to Canadian Pacific 35005 - and a bit of weathering. It will probably get crew at the same time.

[Buz]

Hi atom3624

Thanks for the compliment

That tells me I have got it something like right that is the sort of look I was after.

Like Clint Eastwood should just be walking by on his way to whatever happens next in the story.

Still a few more things to do like door handles sequin and a track pin shutter hinges

not sure what to use for them

Wondering if just a little bit of vegetation would just finish off the roof.

regards John

[Potterton]

@Buz "Like Clint Eastwood should just be walking by on his way to whatever happens next in the story."

I was just typing all it needs is a model of Clint outside to finish it off. You beat me to it! astonished

[96RAF]

Add a Mexican with a blanket poncho asleep in the shade under a big sombrero hat and a donkey tethered under a tree.

Looks great as is but you can always add details over time.

[Buz]

Hi Potterton

If I can get hold of a manufacturer in the US email address doesn't seem to work

He does custom "O" scale figures as well as a few retail normal figures

I am hoping he can do the man with no name complete with cigarillo.

If it ever gets built the Ocidental Spagg y Hetti that's Spagg and Hetti railroad to you and me will be borrowing a lot from the Spaghetti Westerns

regards John

[Potterton]

@Buz. That would finish it off nicely John. smiley

[Buz]

Hi 96RAF

True about extra details.

Sisal string and a dark red paint might do for drying chilies hanging from the roof poles??

I have been looking for a snoozing Mexican no luck might have to pass on that one or get another custom job.

When I can get hold of some one to make them.

regards John

[Fazy]

Lights are fitted and the 1st smoke trough is fitted the second still needs building.

[Tony57]

Hi

Today I made a Toy Story 3 loco into a proper looking locomotive.

I had a spare Davy Crockett tender in my collection, so I thought I would match it up with the 4 4 0 toy story loco. I brought a Triang spare B12 tender draw bar to use I replaced the coupling with the draw bar but it did not look right as tender was to far from the loco so I removed it.

Looking at the two items I noticed that the tender plate was slightly lower than the loco when pushed together, so I used the draw bar screw through the front tender coupling hole straight into where it fitted on to the locomotive body work connecting the two together.

To me they look good together as a old time wood burning locomotive.

(must learn how to submit photos)